Partial garage conversion into a bedroom

[newyorklori1963]

Good evening. Looking for some help with an inspection I did in St. Cloud today. The garage (aprox. 480sqft) had some conversion made to it. About 200sqft was made into a bedroom, same grade as the home BUT my question is that in order to go into the main part of the home (living area) you go into a utility area and then a laundry area both part of the garage. These two areas don't have CHA, but the bedroom does. I have never seen something done like this and I'm wondering how to handle it in the report. Any help or insight would be greatly appreciated. Just an added not it's an FHA appraisal.

 

[Surf Cat]

I don't do FHA. Having said that, a non permitted garage conversion is just that, non permitted.

You observe and report. Does the conversion allow for one side of the garage to be parked in? Or was the whole back of the garage pushed out so that no parking inside the garage is available?

Does zoning require two car covered parking?

For a conventional loan, I would contact the client and let them know what I had with a couple photos and inquire how they wanted me to proceed. Sometimes the request is as-is with a cost to cure. Others wanted "subject to" converting the garage back to its original use.

Not sure what the requirements would be for FHA. Good luck.

 

[Tim Hicks (Texas)]

GLA must be contiguous per ANSI standards. Then there is functional issue with access. Treat it separately and it might diminish the value instead of adding to the value of the home. It reduces the garage utility and its access is a functional issue.

 

[J Grant]

Good evening. Looking for some help with an inspection I did in St. Cloud today. The garage (aprox. 480sqft) had some conversion made to it. About 200sqft was made into a bedroom, same grade as the home BUT my question is that in order to go into the main part of the home (living area) you go into a utility area and then a laundry area both part of the garage. These two areas don't have CHA, but the bedroom does. I have never seen something done like this and I'm wondering how to handle it in the report. Any help or insight would be greatly appreciated. Just an added not it's an FHA appraisal.

Is the garage door still in place and working?

Is the other half of the garage still being used to park a car ?

Depending on the configuration, I might be inclined to call it a garage with a non-permitted room carved out of it, not make any adjustments for the room, and give a cost to cure estimate ( remove the drywall partition).

 

[sputnam]

GLA must be contiguous per ANSI standards. Then there is functional issue with access. Treat it separately and it might diminish the value instead of adding to the value of the home. It reduces the garage utility and its access is a functional issue.

Exactly right. The area is heated and finished. It may add value to the property. It isn't GLA.

 

[J Grant]

Exactly right. The area is heated and finished. It may add value to the property. It isn't GLA.

The area is heated and finished but heated by what ? A wall unit that cost $300?
If only drywall and studs separate this "bedroom" from the garage and there is still room to park a vehicle, it is a fire hazard /carbon monoxide hazard for the room occupants.

Imo the value is a wash in most cases like this. Though the room can add some utility value, it also subtracts from the value of a garage to park vehicles in. The room is also awkward to reach and not a normal choice for a bedroom - it is a room with a bed in it. If it were furnished with a desk instead, would the OP call it an office?

 

[Tom D]

Why are we calling it a bedroom, because there was a bed. Couldn't be a den or another family room. In our big city you need a co detector in any garage. I would want one in that room.
Fannie accepts unpermitted (how many threads have we had on this point) if it is functional, done like the rest of that house. So you have to walk thru the laundry to get to it. It is GLA, it's a functional, fannie & FHA accepted, room.

A good part of my old big city has not gotten permit for additions.

 

[J Grant]

When I see a room made out of part of a garage, if the garage door has been sealed shut with drywall or the door removed, then I often will count the room as a room. If the garage door is still in place and functioning, I count it as a garage and explain ( and photo it ) the utility of a flexible-use drywall-partitoned room inside the garage and the cost to cure if someone wants to remove it later.

 

[Tim Hicks (Texas)]

Why are we calling it a bedroom, because there was a bed. Couldn't be a den or another family room. In our big city you need a co detector in any garage. I would want one in that room.
Fannie accepts unpermitted (how many threads have we had on this point) if it is functional, done like the rest of that house. So you have to walk thru the laundry to get to it. It is GLA, it's a functional, fannie & FHA accepted, room.

A good part of my old big city has not gotten permit for additions.

The OP states you have to go through a utility and laundry room that is not heated or cooled to get to the room (he states they are part of the garage). This makes it non-contiguous with the main living area and not GLA. How many houses do you appraise that you have to go through a laundry room to get to a bedroom? This is a functional issue that should be addressed also.

Plus, everybody forgets that garages have value. You will have to deduct for less garage utility. Also, how do you know if the walls for that room are insulated or the ceiling for that matter? Most garage conversions I see don't think about the lack of wall and ceiling insulation in the garage area.

Typically, when I see a low quality conversion or a room in the garage that only has access from the garage, I give a cost to cure to return the garage to full garage space utility. I have actually seen the garage door opener in the bedroom closet and the step down with sheet vinyl rolled over it like a hill.

 

[alebrewer]

Does your market prefer car storage over living area or vice-versa? IOW - what's the highest and best use of the space? I did one with a similar layout not too long ago - no garage conversions in the entire (200+ home) subdivision. The space as car storage was WAY more valuable than the 'one bedroom'. I simply called it a 2 car garage and applied a cost to reconvert.